The recent death of 17-month-old Justin Bulley has shed light on significant shortcomings within the L.A. County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) and its decision-making process regarding child visitations. Justin, who had been placed in foster care due to his mother’s struggles with substance abuse, tragically lost his life during a supervised visit with his mother, Jessica Darthard. The visit was overseen by a friend of Darthard’s, known as Daniel, who had been approved as a monitor by DCFS.
On the evening of February 18, Justin’s mother called 911 after discovering that the toddler had stopped breathing. Paramedics arrived at the Lancaster home to find Justin’s grandfather, Jessie Darthard, admitting that the cause was fentanyl exposure. It was later revealed that Justin’s mother appeared inebriated during the incident. An autopsy confirmed that Justin had died from exposure to fentanyl, a highly potent opioid.
This devastating event has brought attention to the alarming deficiencies in how DCFS determines who should supervise visits between children and troubled parents, as well as where these visits should take place. Experts and officials have criticized the lack of comprehensive background checks and investigation into the relationship and living situation of monitors like Daniel. The decision to allow a monitor with a potential conflict of interest, living in the same home as Justin’s drug-addicted grandfather, has been deemed highly unusual and concerning.
Reports indicate that DCFS was aware of Jessica Darthard’s history of substance abuse, including a previous incident where she was involved in a car accident with Justin in the back seat while under the influence. Tragically, tests revealed that Justin’s siblings and Daniel’s own children, who also resided in the home, had fentanyl in their systems. The Antelope Valley, where the incident occurred, has seen a rise in fentanyl-related deaths among children in recent months.
DCFS officials have declined to answer questions regarding Justin’s case, citing confidentiality laws. However, it is known that the agency had opened multiple cases involving Jessica Darthard since 2012 and had monitored Justin intermittently since his birth. DCFS emphasizes the importance of supervised visits for a child’s emotional well-being and the potential for parents to regain custody. However, critics argue that the agency’s discretion in selecting monitors is too broad, often resulting in inadequate supervision.
Justin’s father, Montise Bulley, plans to sue DCFS for $65 million, alleging that the agency failed to protect his son by entrusting him to a monitor with a conflict of interest. DCFS policy requires monitors to pass background checks, be financially independent from the parent, and have no conflict of interest. However, the policy does not explicitly prohibit monitors from living with the parent they are overseeing.
2 Responses
According to a report by the Los Angeles Times, there have been numerous cases of child abuse and neglect in the L.A. foster care system. In fact, between 2008 and 2018, there were over 200 children who died while under the supervision of the Department of Children and Family Services. This alarming statistic highlights the urgent need for reforms and improvements in the system to ensure the safety and well-being of vulnerable children.
I am deeply saddened to hear about the tragic death of Justin Bulley. It is important that incidents like these are brought to light to address the shortcomings within the L.A. system. It is crucial that we work towards improving the safety and well-being of children in our community.